Bicyclist pleads guilty to vehicular manslaughter

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SAN FRANCISCO A bicyclist pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter after running down a 71-year-old pedestrian in what San Francisco's top prosecutor said Tuesday appeared to be the nation's first conviction of its kind.

Under the unusual plea deal last week, Chris Bucchere, 37, would not serve jail time and instead would be sentenced to three years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service in the death of Sutchi Hui of San Bruno, District Attorney George Gascon said.

“Our goal is to send a message to cyclists about safety,” Gascon said. “Just because you are riding a bicycle doesn't mean all bets are off. All of the rules of the road that apply to everyone else apply to you, too.”

A software engineer, Bucchere had been riding recklessly and had run three red lights when he struck Hui as he and his wife crossed a street March 29, 2012, in the Castro District, prosecutors said.

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